Is splitting really free?

Yes. Unlimited expenses, hisaab and members; all five split methods; multi-currency; offline use and sync on Android; no-app members; receipt scanning; twelve months of insights; CSV export and a printable statement. No ads, no trial, no card. There is no paid tier today.

Why not charge for the app?

Splitting a bill is not a luxury. Charging for it would push the people who most need a shared ledger back onto WhatsApp arithmetic.